Los Angeles Times: L.A., S.F. Airports to Get National Guard
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-000079569oct05.story?coll=la%2Dheadlines%2Dcalifornia
RESPONSE TO TERROR
L.A., S.F. Airports to Get National Guard
Safety: Soldiers armed with loaded M-16s will boost security, starting today.
The rifles will be fired as a last resort, a spokesman says.
By PETER Y. HONG
TIMES STAFF WRITER
October 5 2001
National Guard troops with M-16 assault rifles are to report for guard duty at
Los Angeles International and San Francisco airports today, in a move Gov. Gray
Davis called "a symbol of the changes that have occurred at airports to enhance
passenger safety."
But experts warn--and Guard officials acknowledge--that the show of force
against terrorism must be executed with great care to avoid harming those it is
meant to protect.
John Reppert, a retired Army general who is a research center director at
Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, said the presence of the
National Guard may be most important as a symbol. "Frankly, in my opinion, the
reason they are there is to restore confidence to the public," Reppert said.
Carrying M-16s, for instance, is useful for intimidating wrong-doers and
reassuring skittish travelers, he said. But actually firing a high-powered
combat rifle in an airport terminal could do more harm than good.
"I would not want soldiers to use an M-16 in a public place," Reppert said.
"Opening fire in an airport terminal is dramatically different from doing so in
a village."
The harder bullet used by the assault rifle is more likely to ricochet than a
round fired from a pistol, Reppert said, which could harm bystanders.
It might even be wise to keep the M-16s unloaded, Reppert said. "As a commander,
I would be very nervous about a soldier carrying a loaded gun. For one thing, he
might drop it." It is also "unlikely people are going to come in and try to
shoot their way to an airplane," he said.
It is common for soldiers on guard duty to keep their guns unloaded, with
ammunition ready in a pouch. The sentries guarding the USS Cole when it was
bombed in October 2000 told the Washington Post they did not have ammunition in
their guns, and did not think it made a difference in the surprise attack.
But Maj. General Paul D. Monroe Jr., the top officer of the California National
Guard, said the M-16s carried at LAX will be loaded. To fire the weapon, the
soldier must charge it by pulling a handle and then release the safety
mechanism, a process that takes about two seconds, Monroe said.
Maj. Stanley Zezotarski, a California National Guard spokesman, noted, however,
that Guard troops would fire their weapons only as a last resort, and would
typically let armed airport police officers take the lead in situations where
shots might be fired. Guard troops today use their weapons sparingly, he said,
pointing out that 22 shots were fired by the National Guard during the 1992 Los
Angeles riots, though more than 20,000 were fired by the Guard in the 1965 Watts
riots.

Monroe acknowledged that it would be preferable to have the Guard's police units
at the airports, but they have been activated and sent out of state. "Normally,
our first choice would be to use our law enforcement units armed with side
arms," he said.
Monroe said, however, that most Guard troops get 16 hours a year of training in
how best to assist civilian law enforcement.
Such training, Reppert said, is crucial in preventing misunderstandings between
the military and the police officers they work with as well as civilians. Police
also need to give specific instructions to soldiers, who may not be familiar
with their protocol.
"If you're on a base in Iraq and you throw someone to the ground, the odds of an
Iraqi filing a liability suit against you are zero. That's not true at LAX,"
Reppert said.
"If a military person is told to search someone, there are no rules about sexual
contact or touching in an inappropriate manner. There are a lot more steps to
follow in an airport, which paying passengers with legal rights expect, than
infantry troops are trained to do," he said.
Gen. Monroe emphasized that the California Guard has experience working with
civilian police during deployments such as the 1992 riots. Guard personnel know
"we are there to support civilian authorities. We work for them," Monroe said.
Los Angeles and San Francisco are the first airports to deploy Guard troops.
About 700 will be patrolling all 30 of California's airports by mid-October.
On Thursday, Gov. Davis reminded National Guard troops at the armory in
Manhattan Beach of the importance of their presence.
"This is a very important assignment . . . your presence at California airports
will restore confidence in the traveling public, and we need to get on with our
lives," he said.
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[b]CNN covered this last night and really pissed me off again[/b]
"(Airport photo with National Guard holding an M16)National Guard is now at (some)Airport. They are guarding the airport with [b]semi-auto rifles[/b]" WTF!
What ever happen to "EVIL FULL AUTO ASSAULT WEAPONS"

"We will always remember. We will always be proud. We will always be prepared so we may always be free." Ronald Reagan 1984

About 3-4 SP's at the main security entrance of Gunter Air Base in Montgomery, AL. Nice to see something besides the standard beretta on their body (although all still carry their sidearm, rifle or not). Very impressive.

Originally Posted By libertyof76:
Why don't they just hit the bolt release? is it standard in the military to have the bolt forward, then to charge it is this fashion?

View Quote

I've no idea about the military but that seems unsafe to me. for one the bolt release lever sticks out pretty good when the bolt is locked back and doesn't have anything guarding it like the mag release button does it could easily bump into something and charge the weapon.
and two I would imagine any military rifle and from what I've heard from buddies in NG, esp the NG rifles are quite a bit more worn than what we're used to, a bump to any part of the rifle might release the bolt, charging the weapon. Now whats the worst that could happen? Slamfire. not very likely given the Stoner mechanics and crimped primer cases, but it could happen.
nice to see them use the term assault rifle correctly for once.

and this will stop the terrorist with box cutters how? More worthless feel good crap.
mike

The purpose of fighting is to win. There is no possible victory indefense. The sword is more important than the shield, and skill is moreimportant than either. The final weapon is the brain. All else issupplemental.

Originally Posted By warlord:
It might even be wise to keep the M-16s unloaded, Reppert said. "As a commander,
I would be very nervous about a soldier carrying a loaded gun. For one thing, he
might drop it." It is also "unlikely people are going to come in and try to
shoot their way to an airplane," he said.
It is common for soldiers on guard duty to keep their guns unloaded, with
ammunition ready in a pouch. The sentries guarding the USS Cole when it was
bombed in October 2000 told the Washington Post they did not have ammunition in
their guns, and did not think it made a difference in the surprise attack.

View Quote

This is the biggest crock of S I've ever read it my life. If they aren't going to have their rifles loaded, they might as well leave them in the armory. Maybe we can get them to pass out Beanie Babies or something.
And that BS about the Cole! Had the guards opened fire at 100 yards, I'm sure it would have made a BIG difference. But, of course, they can't do that with unloaded weapons or when they have to ask permission to fire on an obviously hostile threat.
-Troy

It is just a sad fact!
And I really hate the unavoidable outcoome
Our military has the tools. But, they have been somehow come under the codes of conduvt the 'public' thinks it should have. And, frankly, the US military does not have the fortitude to give the orders it needs to to win this conflict. Home or abroad.
Abroad it is a guerilla war. To fight one, like that in Vietnam, we need to occupy once the target is taken. We have not been willing ot do that since WWII.
At home they are obvious useless. With unloaded weapons, the obvious public knowledge of it what good are they? Next, do LEOs go around unloaded?
This whole thing sucks. We can't win abroad, we can't win like this here.
This is a guerilla war and we are going to lose until we see it for what it is.
Obviously Frustrated,
Zaz